Today, I visited the Ginza, Higashi-Ginza, and Ginza-itchome areas. There are two department stores in Ginza, Matsuya Ginza and Ginza Mitsukoshi, located next to each other. I always head straight to the basement floor of the department stores, especially the sweets section. Unlike local department stores, there are unique shops in areas like Tokyo Station, Ginza, and Nihonbashi, which make exploring fun. One of these unique shops is "Anpiguramu," which uses ancient Western magic symbols and Yin-Yang diagrams. This is the pastry department of the restaurant "Restaurant Anpiguramu" in Hiroo, with a branch in Kamakura. It is the first and only branch in department stores. The showcase displays 8 types of cakes, which is the maximum in the morning. The cakes look very creative. I decided to try the following: - Buttercream Cake: The most popular choice with vanilla white chocolate accents and layers of buttercream on sponge cake. It has a rich, milky flavor with a strong buttery taste. - Pierre Gateau Chocolat: A rich chocolate cake with chocolate cream and almond chocolate coating. It offers a strong and intense chocolate flavor. - Yuzu Fromage: A refreshing cheesecake with yuzu jam and pistachio cream inside. The yuzu flavor is subtle, and the pistachio is the main component. - Macaron Ananas: Pineapple mousse and compote with coconut. The coconut flavor is prominent, and the pineapple mousse adds a tropical touch. - Tart Pistachio: A pistachio tart with caramel mousse and pistachio cream. It is rich and indulgent, perfect for pistachio lovers. If you can't make it to Kamakura, this is the only place where you can purchase these unique and delicious cakes. Overall, it was a delightful experience!

I was looking for a souvenir and something unique to enjoy at home, and this place came up as a candidate, so I headed to the basement floor. In Hiroo, they have a restaurant, and in Kamakura, they have a patisserie, and this patisserie is their second branch. The salted caramel flavor has just the right amount of sweetness and saltiness, with a moist texture. So, I decided to buy boxed financiers and a limited edition financier. If I have the chance, I would like to buy some for myself as well.

You can only buy it here, so it's great for souvenirs! The shops are in Kamakura and Hiroo, and the sweets are sold in Ginza. The packaging is stylish and has a luxurious feel. The caramel financiers are rare and nice. The prices are just right, not too expensive or too cheap! One piece is ¥260.

I knew about its existence, but this is the first time I bought from Ambigram-san. I purchased the following: - Framboisier - Yuzu Fromage Framboisier has a vibrant red appearance. It combines the acidity of raspberries with buttercream, but the sweetness is subtle. Maybe a bit more presence of the buttercream would have been nice. Yuzu Fromage is a combination of yuzu jam and cream cheese. The refreshing acidity and sweetness are really good.

Ambigram, a patisserie located on the basement floor of Ginza Matsuya, is the first store of its kind to open in a department store. Known for their popular buttercream cake, which combines white chocolate for a rich and creamy sweetness that caters to those with a sweet tooth. Their seasonal limited edition item for autumn is the "Tarte O'Potiron," inspired by Halloween. This treat features a blend of roasted pumpkin, caramel, pumpkin cream, and praline, offering a sophisticated twist on the sweetness of pumpkin with a hint of bitterness. Pumpkins have long been an important ingredient in Native American cuisine, and their significance remains unchanged even in modern times.

I visited Matsuya Ginza in the early evening on a regular day. Due to the impact of the new coronavirus, they have shortened their business hours. The upper floors were unclear if they were open, but the food floor had designated entrance and exit points. Upon entering, they required alcohol disinfection. The store seemed quite empty with only a few people passing by, so there was no crowding. I bought a cake for the first time at this store. I purchased the Bergamot Fromage for 637 yen and Pierre for 594 yen. The display case didn't look very appealing, so maybe they should consider a better presentation. The Bergamot Fromage had a dull color, but it tasted good with a nice bergamot flavor. The cheese was also flavorful, overall it was decently tasty. I felt like it was a bit of a waste. Thank you for the meal.

Ambigram @ Ginza Restaurant - Ambigram's sister store. The cakes only had names written on them, so it's fun to imagine what they taste like! Macaron Ananas - Lots of coconut on the outside, very fragrant! The inside is fluffy with pineapple. Tart Saison - The crust is quite moist, almost like a rare texture. The apples are cooked and moist. The bottom cookie is very fragrant. Pierre - Coated with chocolate on the outside, which is unusual! The crispy texture is irresistible. Inside is a very rich chocolate brownie and chocolate cream. What is the faint acidity? It's a bit difficult to eat but a very enjoyable cake.

I tried the lemon pie-style opera chocolate cake. The opera itself had a good balance of sweet and sour lemon scent and sweetness when I first ate it, but towards the end, it got a bit boring. The chocolate cake had a thick coating of chocolate, making the cream inside hard and the chocolate dough almost undetectable, resulting in an unbalanced taste. I usually like the desserts served at Ambigram in Hiroo, but this one was not up to par.

Ambigram, located in Kamakura, has opened a new branch at Matsuya Ginza. It is a sister store of the Italian restaurant Ambigram in Hiroo. The Opera Lemon cake is refreshing with a tangy lemon flavor. It uses three types of lemon cream and limoncello, giving it a delightful taste. The Mont Blanc cake is a seasonal treat made with French and Japanese chestnuts. It features a blackcurrant jelly inside, adding an interesting twist to the chestnut flavor. The Pierre Gateau Chocolat is enhanced with passion fruit chocolate cream, providing a tangy touch. This well-thought-out chocolate cake is not too heavy, making it a delicious Japanese-inspired treat.

I couldn't go to Kamakura, but I bought it at Matsuya Ginza. I wanted to buy some cakes, but I'm on my way so I only got baked sweets. Sablé Chocolat Box. It contains 6 different flavors. It's quite heavy. The sablé cookies are not very crispy, which is disappointing. Maybe it's because of the coating on the sablé. My favorite flavors are matcha, black sesame, and cocoa.

5 different types of subre chocolate, all small in size and normal except for sesame flavor. A pack of 18 pieces costs 1890 yen, which is quite expensive!

A whole shortcake with custard cream, strawberry cream, pistachio cream, whipped cream, and cream dome on top! All creams were not too sweet and very delicious.